Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement has given us a good reason to cast our minds back over his 26 year tenure and pick what we think is his strongest team from all those years in charge at the Theatre of Dreams.

Each and every one of the following players will have experienced the great man’s infamous hairdryer treatment at some stage, and some certainly left Old Trafford not on the best of terms with their gaffer.

Here’s who we picked, with the reasons why – but as ever with these lists, it’s only one opinion and we would welcome your views to the contrary.

– – – – –

Peter Schmeichel – Quite simply the best. The Great Dane was an absolute colossus in his eight years between the sticks, culminating in him being captain of the team that won the treble in 1999. Voted the world’s best keeper in 1992 and 1993. Oh, and who can forget his legendary tussles with Ian Wright…

Gary Neville – One of Fergie’s fledglings, and another who went on to skipper the side with distinction, Neville was a one-club man who is still England’s most capped right-back. His hatred of Liverpool was legendary, but with eight league titles to his name, not to mention countless other trophies, Phil’s big brother was certainly Mr Consistent.

Jaap Stam – One of those who Fergie fell out with due to comments in his autobiography, and which hastened his departure from Manchester, the giant Dutchman formed a brilliant partnership with Ronnie Johnsen. Equally adept in the air and with his feet, he surprisingly only spent three seasons at Old Trafford.

Nemanja Vidic – The Serbian gets the nod over Pallister/Bruce/Ferdinand due to his powerful and consistent performances. Another one to skipper the side in recent seasons, and has survived Fergie at Old Trafford, although injuries are starting to affect his career.

Denis Irwin – Undoubtedly one of, if not the best left-back to play in the Premier League. Lighting pace down the left made him a real handful going forward, and he was a brilliant free-kick taker that got him more than his fair share of goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo – For many, arguably already one of the all-time greats of the world game, despite being only 28. Enjoyed a close relationship with Sir Alex and still does to this day. Pace, trickery, great in the air and a mean free-kick artist. Ronaldo has it all – except perhaps for humility, and the ability to know when enough is enough with the hair gel.

Roy Keane – Like Stam, his United exodus was far from cordial, but his fiery character and unflinching commitment to the cause made him the player he was. Remembered particularly for his battles with Patrick Vieira at Arsenal, Keane was a United captain who demanded everything from his troops. His selfless display in the 1999 Champions League semi-final resulted in a card that saw him banned for the final – the Irishman thoroughly merited his place on the greatest stage of all.

Paul Scholes – Like Fergie, announced his retirement only to find the pull of Old Trafford too much to resist. Lauded by the likes of Zidane and Gerrard as the greatest midfielder they ever played against, the ‘ginger ninja’s’ incredible passing and powerful shot won many a game. Rarely had a poor game, and is set to call it a day at the end of this campaign.

Ryan Giggs – United’s longest serving player, and another Fergie fledgling like Neville and Scholes. The boss said his mazy runs gave defenders “twisted blood”, and who would argue? Still playing in his 40th year and set for at least one more season, the Welshman is United’s most decorated player of all time. And don’t forget his goal to knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup in their 1999 semi-final replay – wow.

Eric Cantona – The Frenchman is often hailed as being the key to United’s renaissance. Like Keane, he had a fiery temperament and was never far from controversy. Blessed with a touch of genius, King Eric could do things that most fellow professionals could only dream about. The swagger and puffed out chest marked him out as a firm fan favourite – the United faithful still sing his name at every home game.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy – The Dutchman was another to fall out with Fergie before leaving for Real Madrid, but having waited to sign him after a career-threatening injury, United got more than their money’s worth. Didn’t score too many from outside the box, but what a finisher.

SUBS

Edwin Van der Sar – Fergie always said he regretted not signing the Dutchman earlier in his career – unlucky to miss out but a more than able deputy to Schmeichel.

Gary Palllister – Part of the famed partnership with Steve Bruce, Pallister’s aerial ability marked him out as a defensive rock.

Bryan Robson – Fergie’s Captain Marvel – another midfield dynamo that got goals as well. The former England captain is unlucky to miss out to Keane, but injuries affected his time under Fergie.

Andrei Kanchelskis – Phenomenal pace and skill, the Russian’s inclusion might surprise a few, but was a great watch for this observer.

David Beckham – Wore the number seven shirt prior to Ronaldo’s arrival and another quite brilliant talent. Only misses out because of the Portuguese’s exceptional ability.

Mark Hughes – The powerful Welshman made scoring look easy – from both inside and outside the box.

Ole Gunnar Soslsjkaer – The Norwegian is the original United ‘supersub’ – could always be relied on to come on and score.

How can you leave out Rooney? you don’t even have him as a sub yet you have got both Hughes and Solo

Maurice

Ole Gunnar Soslsjkaer: get your Norwegian right! It’s Solsjkær and he was never sozzled or sloshed.

Ben Ben

It’s Solskjær, you’re the idiot.

John

Who will wear #7?

Who is ASADA ?

Wayne Rooney

keyser Söze

Come on…. rio and wayne should be on the bench

Nikothebellic

Van nistellroy instead Rooney? Are you kidding? Yeah, you are kidding. Ruud is an exceptional talent, but he’s not Wayne, who is on his way to become MU legend. Total editor’s dequalification.

asibat

You must have smoked some thing. And what would make rooney ahead of Van nistelroy?

William ouko

You are too young to understand some of these things

Musa Badru

try to guess

the tim

its abt team balance, looking at this squad, there is no clear place for Rooney. Rooney now plays a hybrid playmaker/finisher role, which is what Cantona did, Rooney is not a shadow compared to the Great Eric Cantona, if you have never seen him play, its worth looking him u looking him up

Van Nistllroy is one of the greatest finishers of all time at any club, and with sublime playmakers such as Ronaldo, Giggs, Keane and Scholes in the mid, why have another playmaker? The obvious choice is a finisher with an assassin’s instinct for scoring, and thats exactly what V. Nistellroy had.

Musa Badru

roooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooney is better

Laster-Stoney Ogola

Rooney shud b there

Davies Ranchez

Rooney surely deserves a mention due to his unfaltering fighting spirit to the good of Manchester United, I wouldn’t want to face that side on a sunny Saturday afternoon though!

Your Dad

Kanchelskis is not Russian. He is Ukranian. Born in the old USSR but that does not make him Russian.

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George

what about cleverly?

Mr.D!ck

van der sar?

sadickmohammed

holl

Aqua

where is david beckham???hunnnn?

Yashaswi Sharma

rooney should be in the list

Isabel Quijano

No Rooney?

D’quille Hypolite

what about george best, andy cole dwight yorke

snake

Alex ferguson era.

disa

Van Der Saar was the best golkeeper.

Rico

WAIT….IRWIN is a penalty taker NOT FREE KICK..but to be frank all of you said ROONEY should be included…well it is hard to choose if you have seen the rest play…opps….revealed my age….

the tim

Cantona scored ever penalty he took for M.U (14 i think) not only that he sent the keeper the wrong way EVERY time!

MRB

spot on, and absolutely right to leave out Wayne Rooney who is not in the same class as the players and subs selected. For my money I would probably have had Pallister ahead of Vidic, and maybe with Bruce in as sub.

KennedyBW

dwight yorke….he should be atleast one the subs…but i guess man u had greats under fergie so its not easy

Art

Where’s Bebe??

C’nzore

Hahahaaaaa!

the tim

To everyone calling for Rooney…. please go look up the definition of ‘overrated’.

Not saying he isnt any good- he is good and to be fair imo he is a much better player now than when he joined M.U, his repertoire has expanded considerably. However M.U has had some truly great players. Now if you still think Rooney is one of these, then stop for a moment and consider how great the likes of Cantona and R.V.N really are

Kewin

For people who say Rooney should be in the list I am sure they hardly or never watch Ruud and Cantona even Ole in the field

Ole is the best super-sub finisher of all time

Omar Adnan

no one said that Rooney is much better than them but remember that Rooney is gonna be the top club scorer and he wasn’t playing in his position MANY TIMES … plus he can almost play anywhere in the team

treble the fun

can understand it’s hard to find rooney a starting place but you hardly put solskaer before him on the bench, doh! No evra, ferdinand, cole, ince or yorke even on bench-is there a little closet racism here??

HECTOR

CHICHARITO SHOULD BE IN THE SUBS LIST!

stinker weydowey

beckham?

Prince Nyanatee Nenneh

Naming the Manchester United Dream Team..should be revisited..its incomplete..lots of great players were left out..

Scholesy

With the starting 11, agree 1000000 % there is no doubt about that. spot on. for the sub it’s very difficult as there were many of good players: but I wouldn’t put Kanchelskis as he playes at the same position as Beckham, maybe Heinze worse mentioning as he was a fighter like Vidic, and I would put Ronney Johnson instead of Pallister for his versatility ( O’shea also has the same he played in all positions ) they were very useful in the matches where you need to alternate the tactic in the match with the same players which you have on the pitch.

Madritistaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I’m supprised that noone here mentioned Ryan Gigs? As far am I aware of, if you would ask Alex about Gigs, he would place him at least as a sub 100% and Wayne Rooney also. On the other hand I hardly believe that there would be David Beckham in the “ferguson all time squad” because of his departure to Madrid :).

$@f

Y people have to mention about giggs as long as he’s in the starting line up????

http://www.yahoo.com Albert Kanjungu

The club won no European trophies with Cantona and Van Nistelrooy. I feel Andy Cole, Yorke and Beckham should feature prominently in this lineup.

KKK

Is this the All-Whites team?

mattisHEJHEJ

“Soslsjkaer”???? Really??? It’s “Solskjær”, get it right

rai

should never had let beckham go alex is a knob and should of been sacked beckham produced every week giggs was wrapped in cotton wool giggs’s delivery was poor only became better when he reached 33

Chelsea fun

No VAN DER SAR !!? no Ferdinand ?! no Rooney ?! come on

Carlos Lara

Where is Ferdinand??!!

eish

come on..leaving out Yorke and Cole?

Pemphero Mphande

No Wayne Rooney is an utter joke. The guy has scored more than 10 goals each season for 10 years and is just 18 goals behind the United scoring record. Not even on the bench?

Richard Chow

where is Rooney? he should be on sub list…

Musa Badru

where is di maria,rooney& van persie

Kevin Pillay

dwight york and andy cole

Kevin Pillay

cole and york best combanation ever

ali

David Bekham pls

Sam Samuel

Agree on it! Perhaps I replace Van Nistelrooy by Dwight York.

Charles

Looking at their contribution to the 1999 treble, Dwight York and Andy Cole definitely deserve their places in a dream line up

Charles

I never noticed Beckham is also missing. No! Just disband this team then!

rajesh shreshtha

sorry many may disagree but i dont consider cr7 MU Legend he had great stint with the club but no